Titan Mutations
by FinalRemuneration
Summary: A mysterious plague has hindered the 57th expedition beyond the walls. No one was told the details, but when one of their own falls ill, chaos promptly follows. Zombie AU; R&R Please. :D
1. Unintentional Anger

**A/N: ****Hey guys! It's been a while. ^^;**

**So I was feeling a bit angry one day, and decided to write an, Eren-is-mad-at-Levi one shot. But I have also been wanting to write about zombies for a while, so I decided that it made the perfect opportunity to write an AU. So here it is, an AU with zombies AND titans. Basically, this is prior to the 57th expedition beyond the walls, and instead of leaving after one month, their expedition got delayed for six, due to, *cough* a peculiar sickness that plagued their nation. But they don't know that yet. XD ****Titan Mutations Rated T (for now xD).**

**Summary : A mysterious plague has hindered the 57th expedition beyond the walls. With six months to train, the scouting legion is last to find out that they may be facing another threat just as deadly, if not more terrifying, than the titans they study. Zombie AU;**

**Warnings and disclaimers: This is rated T ****for violence and death, ****until further chapters,**** and Shingeki no Kyojin belongs to Hajime Isayama! 100%! This story's plot line and individual words are mine though.**

**Enjoy. ^^**

* * *

Both of his palms were sweaty as he gripped the broom stick with unnecessary force. His jaw was clenched and his narrowed eyes were forcefully trained on the _clean _stone floor. He could feel the twitch of his eyebrow as he focused on the task at hand. He forcefully swept at the stones beneath the table, observing that not a trace of dust had lifted from the floor below. He felt his throat run dry and his nose wrinkled from the agitation of his futile effort. He was basically trying to kill a dead titan._If the floor is already clean, cleaning it again won't make it cleaner!_ His heart beat was drowning out the silence of the room as he continued to violently rub the brush against the spot. The _very damn clean_ spot. He cursed silently.

He wasn't sure if the man was trying to teach him patience, or if he was simply testing how far Eren could be provoked, but either way, the temperature in his cheeks were steadily increasing, and Eren was doing everything he could to keep himself from erupting. The room had become hot, and he could feel Lance Corporal Levi's gaze as it burned into the back of his skull. He could practically see the man's indifferent face as he watched the boy aimlessly sweep at the stone he already knew to be _spotless._ His mouth would be in a stoic line, his eyes half aware and droopy, watching the boy without interest. He would be leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, and as soon as Eren announced that he was finished, the man would just find something,_ anything_, for Eren to clean again.

Another predatory growl escaped Eren's throat from simply thinking about it. He could see his hands shaking and becoming white from the force of his grip on the handle. Any second and the wood would probably split. _Who does this man think he is?_

"Eren."

Eren froze. His shoulders stiffened and his hands managed to tighten around the protesting handle. He let his lips pull back to bare his glistening white teeth. His turquoise eyes fell on the stone below the table. He subconsciously tensed his jaw, his molars protesting from the pressure. He didn't move to face his superior, instead, he remained rooted where he stood. His impending rage was building in his abdomen, threatening to explode from his chest at any moment. _That man better choose his words carefully..._

"Eren, look at me."

Eren swallowed hard, forcing his lips to relax enough to purse them together. His jawline remained tense, along with his brows and his shoulders. He slowly turned his head to the side, his eyes already positioned and waiting for the Corporal to come into view. Just as he had expected, the man was leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed. Just like him, he was wearing the standard white pants along with the straps to his three-dimensional maneuver gear and his usual dress shirt; thought the top buttons were uncharacteristically unbuttoned. His face was completely stoic, though his eyebrows raised slightly when his reserved grey blues met Eren's hard, penetrating greens.

Levi's eyes narrowed slightly, his eyebrows dropping to rest indifferently once again. He remained silent, most likely thinking over his order.

Eren's gaze didn't waver. He stared unblinking at the man who had managed to drive him to the brink of rage. _And it was all because of cleaning, too._ The tasks had been simple, but the tone that Levi had used had been enough to set Eren on edge since his first order that morning. He had initially assumed that Levi had woken up on the wrong side of the bed yet again. But as the day had gone on, and as the orders became more tedious, Eren had thought about the previous two weeks. Their expedition beyond the walls was only a few months away, so there was no immediate stress to infuriate his superior. They had thoroughly cleaned the castle upon arrival, and the entire squad had kept it exceptionally clean for the past three months, due to Levi's finicky comments, so why was he so insistent on making Eren clean _everything raw?_ He had practically scrubbed the stone to dust under the table, and now the man was about to give him yet another order. The man had become more irritable a few weeks back, but there had been nothing to instigate the change. _A change without a cause._ A beastly growl formed in Eren's chest once again. _This man is turning me into the beast I don't want to be!_

"Eren, you need to clean that spot again."

The right side of Eren's face twitched.

Levi rose an eyebrow. His eyes widened slightly.

"No!" Frustration erupted from their confinement and Eren threw the broom violently to the floor. The sound of splintering wood did nothing to calm or distract his raging thoughts. "That spot. Is clean! Corporal. Levi." Eren snapped, shoving one index finger towards the raw stone under the table. The other hand curled violently in on itself, his knuckles turning white and shaking. He felt blood rush to his face as hetensed once again. His lips pulled back into a snarl and his nose wrinkled. He had widened his stance, ready to counter whatever Levi threw at him.

Levi sneered, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He fluidly pushed himself from the wall. His hands dropped to his sides as he slowly stepped forward. Past the pulse in his ears, Eren cold hear the slapping echo of angry footsteps as the smaller man moved closer. His face softened as his confidence wavered, causing him to stand a bit straighter while his superior approached him. Levi stopped a foot away. His eyes never broke contact. Eren's nostrils flared, his mind finally realizing and rationalizing that perhaps he should back off.

A hand moved faster than Eren could react, and skin violently hit skin. Eren's head snapped to the right and he stumbled, wide previously clenched fist immediately reached to his cheek to sooth the sting. His jaw cracked a tooth, from over clenching and pain shot back and into his neck. The sound echoed for a mere second, and then silence fell upon them once again. Eren eyed the man before him, his wide eyes narrowing slowly but effectively. Levi crossed his arms, his gaze hard, and the slightest smile on his lips.

_Is he really enjoying this!?_

"Eren. I said clean under the table. Again." His voice was calm but low. Eren had learned to read the signs of an angry corporal, and the way his lips pulled back when he spoke told him exactly what he had wanted to know.

Eren snorted, his eyes becoming dangerous as he righted himself. Against his better judgement, he quickly approached Levi and violently shoved his forehead down and into his. Their skulls cracked against each other, the blow giving Eren an instant head ache. Levi's mask faltered, revealing a cringe, but he otherwise remained unphased. Eren used the small victory to fuel his uncontrollable fire.

"I. Said. No." He growled. Levi's eyes twitched. "I don't know why you are being such a hard ass today, or why you have been so _moody_ all week. But I am really getting sick of it, and so is everyone else." Eren was practically shouting as he grabbed Levi's shoulders and pushed him back a step. Levi grabbed onto Eren's forearms by reflex. His cold grey eyes narrowed and hallowed, so Eren kept going, "You have been so commanding-"

"It's my job to be commanding," Levi cut in gruffly, his voice slightly louder than normal, "and it would be in your best interest to back off now-"

"No!" Eren shoved him back another step. His breathing had become heavy and steam began to spew from the healing in his mouth. "No, I don't know what your problem is, and I don't know what happens in your life when I'm not around, but you need to pull yourself together. Whatever it is that is pissing you off everyday, you need to deal with it, because taking it out on your subordinates is not very Corporal like."

A fist found Eren's nose, and he choked on his yelp. His hands fled to his face as he took a step back, his hurt eyes never wavering. Levi advanced with a murderous look in his. A shudder ran down Eren's spine, steam enveloping his face from his new injury. He became rigid again. _Let him hit me all he wants. He needs to realize that he is being childish._

"You will not talk down to me, and you- of all people- will not tell me how to do my job." Levi stepped closer, grabbing a fistful of Eren's bangs. He hauled the boy down to his level, mouth ready to continue his speech, but Eren roared in his face, the sound of his titan echoing throughout the room. Panting, Eren slammed his forehead into his skull once again, knocking Levi back from the sheer force. Levi tripped off his feet, landing on the spotless stone floor he had spent several hours making Eren clean. _Karma, bastard._ If he didn't have a head ache before, he would now.

Blood ran down the front of Levi's face, and his normally relaxed expression scrunched at the sensation. "And how is attacking your superior going to benefit you?"

Eren growled again, warily approaching him. "What is your problem?" Eren asked, instead of answering him.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "My problem? What is your problem. I told you to clean and now look. I might as well beat you for a week for this, after I get you to scrub the blood out of the floor."

"I don't understand what happened." Eren said loudly. His was standing over Levi now, yelling at him. Levi looked calm on the floor, leaning back on his hands and ignoring the blood running down his face. Eren had split open his forehead, and the blood was trailing lazily down between his eyebrows, detouring down both sides of his nose. Aside from the blood, he would have looked casual, had it not been from the tension in his shoulders and how rigid his jaw line had become. Everything about the man had become prepared for an attack, an attack Eren would be ready for. Levi had his feet resting on the floor, ready to spring himself up in a second. There were only a few strikes that he could make from his position, and Eren had already catalogued them and prepared his counter attack.

Eren huffed, and then opened his mouth again, letting his heart sentence his fate. "You were fine, and then all of a sudden you got all mean and withdrawn. What happened? You have been more rude to Mikasa. You have been picking on Armin, and arguing against his strategies, and you have been making me work like a dog for no apparent reason. There is no reason for me to clean this room again! This room is spotless!" He gestured towards the shining sink, stove and fridge, and then back at the table and floors. "This room has been scrubbed raw because of me, and I am not cleaning it anymore."

That hadn't been the point he was trying to make, but his rage had gotten the best of him. He had already spilled blood, and his blood pressure was at a dangerous level. His body was getting hot. His senses were sharp, his body twitching at every shallow movement and every subtle sound. He was dangerously close to transforming out of sheer anger. _I don't even know if that is possible, but I don't want to find out._

Levi suddenly pushed himself off of the ground, causing Eren to jump, brushing off invisible dust from his pants. His eyes were focused on his shoes. When he finished brushing himself off, his hands found themselves in fists at his sides. He spun on his heel, walking towards the door. His voice came out strained and rough, "My office, in ten minutes."

_He can't even scold me in here? What is with-_

The kitchen door suddenly swung opened.

Erwin Smith stepped in, his face unreadable like how Levi's usually was. Eren watched his cerulean blue eyes linger on Levi, and then they fell on the broken broom stick. A chill suddenly struck Eren and he looked down, his hands drawn behind his back. He felt Erwin's gaze reach him. _Shit, What did I do?_ An empty coldness began to replace his rage, and he felt his body temperature drop. His eyes widened as new, logical thoughts came crashing through his thick skull. _You could have handled that situation better. That was a little unnecessary. Why did you attack Levi? He is the only reason why you haven't been dissected alive yet..._

"Levi, I need to borrow Eren for about an hour." Erwin's voice was warm and calm. Eren's eyes flicked up from beneath his bangs, the voice relaxing the tension in the air. Erwin was lightly smiling, his eyes focused on his scowling Corporal. Levi kept his eyes averted, and turned to face Eren again, his eyes burning holes as he stared.

"Fine. When you are done running Erwin's errands, come see me in my office." He turned on his heal again, his arms crossed, and he loudly made his way to the door. Erwin reached out just before he could pass, grabbing him by the arm and stopping him dead in his tracks. Levi instantly glared, low eyes through bangs, though he remained silent. Erwin's mouth began to move. Curiously, Eren focused on his hearing.

His near titan-shifted hearing picked up words that would normally be inaudible. Word's formed behind Erwin's silencing lips. "My office, when you are done with him." Erwin released Levi, and Levi quickly stalked off, his shoes echoing from the hallway more prominently than normal.

Erwin grinned at Eren, who quickly straightened his posture "Eren, walk with me. And never mind the broom, I'll get someone else to clean it up."

Fear struck, and Eren righted himself properly. "Yes sir!" _I am a dead man..._

* * *

**F.R: So how was that? If you leave a nice review of encouragement, and maybe a fav and a follow, there will be more *cough* I already wrote more, *cough* where that came from. xD**

**Thanks! ^^**


	2. Prior Confrontation

**A/N: I am trying out this formal title thing. xD I think I like it so far. So here is chapter two! This is only half of it, because it got ridiculously long, (and I haven't entirely finished,) so expect the next part up in a few days! I am trying to update every three days on average, so watch for me!**

**Thank-you to those who have already faved and followed! **

**And thanks to PartyGirl38 for the first comment! :D I love details!**

**Titan Mutations**

**Rated T (for now xD)**

**Summary : A mysterious plague has hindered the 57th expedition beyond the walls. With six months to train, the scouting legion is last to find out that they may be facing another threat just as deadly, if not more terrifying, than the titans they study. Zombie AU;**

**Warnings and disclaimers: This is rated T, until further chapters, for violence and death, and Shingeki no Kyojin belongs to Hajime Isayama! 100%! This story's plot line and individual words are mine though.**

* * *

Ignoring the murdered broom, Eren hurried to catch up to Erwin as the man disappeared from the room. He stumbled into the hallway and sharply turned right, following at a hurried but respectful distance behind the captain as they headed down the hallway. The commander was wearing his jacket, the wings of freedom entrancing Eren as they walked. They were the only hope to the freedom of mankind, the wings representing the caged birds, or _cattle_, as Eren liked to say, that lived behind the walls. They were a trapped nation, trapped and hindered by terrifying were doomed by the demons.

Unless angels showed up.

Eren shuddered as goosebumps littered her exposed skin, his eyes drifting to the right as the shadows began to shift creepily. The stone arched halls were eerie enough by themselves, let alone when the orange sun was setting and the commander had asked for his _personal _assistance. The overall normality of the night was hitting rock bottom rather quickly. The warm rays of light were playing awful tricks against the stone walls as they shone through the open demons on the walls, however, were nothing compared to the demons inside. His heart and breathing had yet to slow. _I wonder if Erwin heard anything that happened between me and Levi..._

"Eren, please walk beside me." Erwin glanced back slightly, his face still unreadable. The sunset played with his features, deepening the cheek bone and eye sockets with shadows that hallowed his face into a fear striking stare. Eren nodded, wide eyes, and then hurried to his side. He could feel the blood draining from his face as he moved quickly, and the sensation of transforming rapidly seeping away, which was a good thing. He didn't want to die in the hallways because anger had made him transform. He had been so _angry_ only minutes before, but the presence of the commander had dulled that emotion. Call him loyal. His heat racked against his ribs, and he submissively looked to his shoes as his heart threatening to explode. Erwin breathed, "So,"

Eren gulped._He must have heard everything earlier..._

"Hanji had a few questions for you, but I thought it would be better if I asked them. Man to man." Erwin'sstare was obvious on the side of Eren's face. He cold practically feel the flesh burn under it. He gulped again as new concerns flooded his mind. _Hanji has more questions? Don't questions lead to exeriments? This is not my night..._

Erwin chuckled lightly, as if reading his thoughts. "Don't worry, you won't be seeing Hanji any time soon. She is too busy with her newest titan-pet. Though, she simply wanted to know if you get sick, Eren?"

Instantly, Eren glanced up to the man, his eyes wide as he thought about the question. Didn't that nut already know the answer to that? "Um, I believe Hanji was the one who said that I can't get sick..." He crossed his arms, an eyebrow raising with suspicion. _What does that woman want from me now?_

Erwin smiled, his attention shifting back to dead ahead of him. "She said you can't get terminally ill, but you can get sick, until your titan abilities heal you, right?"

Eren glanced away. "I guess, yeah. Actually, I'm sick whenever I come out of my titan form, right?"_If they both already know the answer, then why are they asking me?_

Erwin nodded. "Yes. So basically, Hanji has a theory. Did you heard about the new strain of flu going around right before we left the city to come out here?"

Eren nodded, half listening. Hanji was a nut case all on her own, let alone when she had 'theories' that needed to be tested. Whether she had already proved something or not, there were still so many ways she could test the same subject again. _She's insane._ He involuntarily shuddered at the concept of Hanji testing on his titan's immunity to disease. _I don't want to be a lab rat... _He could see it now, Hanji approaching him with what seems like an innocent and easy task, and then lo and behold, she's stabbing needles into his arms!

"Well, basically, she believes that titans can get briefly sick too, and that they can both carry and mutate diseases."

_What if something goes wrong and I become permanently sick- _"What?" Eren suddenly stopped in the hallway, his eyes wide and mouth agape. He shot a quick look to the commander. Erwin stopped a step ahead of him, his eyes serious and set calmly on Eren, despite the obvious fact that the boy had not been listening. He didn't move, just waited until Eren looked away again. He could feel that his face was almost paper white._ Why is he telling me this?_

"If this is true, and the titans can mutate diseases, then they pose a threat to humanity while we are outside and interacting with them. That is why we had to post pone our expedition for six months. They wanted to diagnose this new 'flu' before we left. If we go out there and bring back something that can kill us off, then we haven't really succeeded in our work, have we?"

Eren nodded slowly in agreement. Erwin turned away, continuing his expedition. He walked away from Eren silently. Eren inhaled deeply, squeezing his eyes shut. _What does all of this mean? There is so much going on... maybe I should talk to Armin after Erwin dismisses me? Oh wait... I have to go see Levi..._ He hesitantly started to walk again as Erwin led him down a separate hallway. He immediately recognized the path as the one that led to the infirmary. _Levi is going to kick the living daylights out of me after what happened... _Adjusting his focus, he cleared his throat before speaking, "So where are we going then?" If he wouldn't be seeing Hanji, then where else would Erwin take him? _I can't deal with anymore unlucky incidents today!_

"I am sure you know about Petra's cold, and that she has been in the infirmary all afternoon?" Erwin's voice became gentle and soft. His pace did not slow. "I think we should pay her a visit."

"Oh, okay." Eren nodded, following behind Erwin again as they neared the door to the infirmary. It was wooden, just like all the other doors in the building. The only indication that it was different was the golden plate that had been tacked into it, labelling it as a room of importance. He felt his heart flutter in his chest. _So, people are getting sick because of titans? And Hanji will probably want to experiment with me now that she thinks this... and there might be people who are already ill with the 'titan disease'... and Petra's in the infirmary because of a cold? That's a little odd... Is this why Levi has been so moody all day? Now that I think about it, Petra's been sick for a couple of weeks now and Levi's been irritable since then..._

"Eren, put this on." Eren snapped out of his daze to see the commander handing him a blue surgical mask. Eren shakily took it, eyeing his betraying hand with a glare, thumbing the straps as he pulled them to fit behind his ears. They rubbed and irritated his scalp as he looped them behind, encouraging him to scratch with both hands as he absently followed the already moving commander. Erwin pushed the infirmary door open, and they were greeted with darkness. No one moved in the foyer, and there were no candles lit. It looked like it had been deserted. Moving easily through the dark room, Erwin made his way past the foyer and headed towards the medical rooms. Eren quickly followed suite, making sure that he didn't trip or knock anything over on his way.

They found themselves outside of the last door, and Eren couldn't help but hold his breath. Exhaling tiredly, Erwin grasped the handle of the door and gently pushed it open. He let it swing open. Hinges eerily pierced the air as Erwin held out a hand, gesturing for Eren to enter first.

The spacious room was dim, being lit by a single, waxy candle on the bedside table where a few unused tissues lay. The walls were a shadowy shade of grey as the setting sun filtered in through the drawn white blinds. The room seemed to be empty, save for the large hospital bed placed perfectly in the center, just to the left of the table. Petra's petite form was tiny in comparison, swallowed up by the pillow and several blankets.

Eren slowly entered the room, not wanting to wake or startle the sleeping girl, nor did he want to rush in, lest his feelings get the better of him. She was rest on her back, her light orange hair splayed around her, her face peacefully resting towards the sun. The fading sunlight illuminated the deep bags under the girls eyes, along with the hallowing of her cheek bones. She seemed to be several shades paler than normal, borderline grey.

Sliding himself into a nearby chair, Eren could only stare. The body that had once been so full of life now lay motionless before him. She had always been so happy and so helpful, and so accepting towards him. Eren had been really grateful for that when he had first joined. Everyone had been so cautious and stiff towards him, everyone except for her. She was the only person who continuously reminded him of his humanity. Out of them all, she had the most faith.

_What kind of cold is this?_

Erwin, seemingly understanding Eren's curiosity, moved to stand beside him. He was a solid form against the fading light and the frail body. It was oddly the only source of comfort for Eren. "It's complicated," he said quietly.

Eren could only nod in wide eyed disbelief. _When did it become this extreme?_

The ever so slow rise and fall of Petra's chest was the only indication that she was still alive. She was completely motionless, scarily so, aside from the trickle of sweat that dripped down her forehead. Absently, Eren pulled a tissue from the side table and stood over the girl to dab at the perspiration. He leaned forward on the bed, supporting himself with one arm while he carefully dabbed at her pale skin.

"She has a high fever, and extreme fatigue." Erwin continued to whisper. Eren glanced back just in time to see Erwin eye the tissues suspiciously. His mouth moved, but no words came out. _Levi..._

Eren blinked, distracted, and then glanced back to wipe Petra's face gently. He smiled when she exhaled onto his hand, her warm breath sending shivers and tingles up through his wrist. She shifted beneath the blankets, the tension visible in her temple relaxing. She suddenly moved an arm slowly, grasping Eren's hand with her own. It was cold against his, the skin moving a little too fluidly as she gripped him.

"We think this strain might be from titan origins," Erwin said softer than before, his voice background noise to the concentrating teen. "Eren, have you ever seen anything like this?

Eren shook his head slowly, still staring at the smiling girl with her hand over his. She seemed... _tragically peaceful._

* * *

**F.R~: I apologize if this chapter is really wordy. I was in transition from "I haven't written in almost four, five months" to "I remember the meaning of ****_fluid._****" ****It will get better. xD**

**Thanks for reading!^^ Leave me a thought!**

**Oh! And expect zombies at the end of next chapter! ;P**


	3. First Confrontation

**A/N: Heeeeere is chapter 3! I think my writing is starting too look how it used to. xD That make mes happy. Thank you for the favourites and follows! It makes me happier that you guys are actually interested and enjoying what I write! :D The last half of this chapter was easier to write than the previous two. :D I really hope that that is a good thing.**

**Titan Mutations**

**Rated: T **

**Words: I'm trying to keep the starter chapters below 2,000. Chapters will get longer when eventful things start happening.**

**Summary : A mysterious plague has hindered the 57th expedition beyond the walls. With six months to train, the scouting legion is last to find out that they may be facing another threat just as deadly, if not more terrifying, than the titans they study. Zombie AU;**

**Warnings and disclaimers: This is rated T, until further chapters, for violence, death, and ****now language****! Also! Shingeki no Kyojin belongs to Hajime Isayama! 100%! This story's plot line and individual words are mine though. ~ ENJOY^^**

* * *

The darkness was both a curse and a blessing. He had no idea when he had fallen asleep, but he knew that the brat hadn't been by. The door hadn't creaked open, and being a light sleeper, that would have been enough to have woken him up, had he slept through the approaching footsteps. The sun was almost set, the dusty orange glow flickering through the window and illuminating his room with eerie shadows. It was later than he had expected.

Sighing, he nuzzled the side of his face back into his pillow, rubbing his cheek against the cotton. He was curled up on his side, eyes half closed, hair plastered around his face. He pulled lightly at the blanket that wasn't covering him and sighed heavily.

_I better get up and fix myself before that brat shows up. But the again..._

As if on cue, he heard heavy footsteps approaching. Groaning, he pushed himself into a sitting position without hesitation. He brought curled hands around his face, rubbing the sleep from the corners of his eyes as he lightly lowered his bare feet to the cold stone below. The footsteps became louder, prompting Levi to stand up despite the chill in his heels and quickly reach for his bedside table. He twisted the gas lamp on, eyes narrowing as the harsh flame flickered to life behind the glass. One hand was removed from his face as he scanned the floor, spotting his boots, and immediately moved over to put them on. He grabbed them from the foot of the bed and used the end board to support him as he gingerly lifted a leg over his knee. His unfortunate toes curled from the shifted weight.

The echoing footsteps stopped just outside his door. A duo of soft knocks sounded through the quiet, dim room, just as Levi slipped on one boot. He softened his narrowed eyes as he shifted to get the other boot on.

_One second._

He slipped it on, willing his mouth to relax from it's grim line.

_Two seconds._

He stood up straight, stretching his back, hands reaching behind his head.

_Three seconds._

He ran his fingers through his air in an attempt to calm what he assumed to be a messy display. He stepped forward, the heel of his boot clicking against the stone flooring. He heard the boy on the other side of the door sigh.

Prolonging his confrontation, Levi hesitated to open the door. His hands grasped the cool metal of the knob, but refused to turn. _I can't make the brat wait forever._ Sighing lightly, he quickly remembered why Eren was there, and what had _occurred_ earlier and he turned the knob, pulling the door open slowly. He ran a mental check on his posture and facial expression, making sure he wasn't unintentionally giving away any emotions, and was satisfied just as wild turquoise eyes met his.

Eren was standing tall, but his face was down, his eyes hesitantly meeting his superiors, had his hands clasped behind his back and a his lips were pulled grimly straight. He was wearing clean white pants and an off beige new shirt, his 3D straps abandoned for the night. "Sir." He said softly.

"Eren, come in." Levi opened the door calmly, standing aside to let the younger boy in. "Take a seat."

Eren hesitantly entered the room, his eyes on Levi. He moved quickly out of arms reach, and eyedthe room curiously. It was clean, obsessively so, with no trace of dust or dirt anywhere. There was an oak bookshelf to the left, with what looked like several binders full of files. To it's left was amatching oak dresser with a floor mirror standing in between the two. Pushed to the back of the room, just beside the window, was a desk with multiple piles of neatly stacked papers. There was a candle in one corner, and a cup with several pens in it in the other. An inviting wooden chair was gently pulled out from the desk. Eren walked across the room, pulled the chair further out silently, and sat down with crossed arms. He couldn't help his eyes as they drifted to the bed.

The blankets were twisted and unkempt and the pillow has been carelessly moved to the corner. Levi mentally scolded himself for not tidying up after his nap. He cleared his throat regardless, catching Eren's attention, suddenly eager to get the meeting over with.

"About earlier," Eren cut in quickly before the man could speak, his eyes staying far away from Levi's, "I am sorry, I was out of line, I-"

"Cut the shit." Levi snapped harshly. He narrowed his eyes as Eren visibly jumped, his wide eyed staring as he tensed. Levi leaned against his bed post,"You are lying through your teeth, and we both know that."

Eren only stared. A multitude of emotions flickered through his eyes as the boy debated what to say. What could he say? They had both been out of line, though Levi wouldn't admit that. Eren's reaction and rebellion had been too severe to just slap his wrist, but at the same time, the boy's anger had been instigated by no other than Levi himself. A more harsh punishment would be unnecessary, and convey the wrong message. _What should I do?_ Cleaning was out of the question- or was it? Eren had snapped during a finicky cleaning session. Would it make sense to punish the boy by making him clean more? _Why can't I make up my mind? I should have slept more..._

"Sir?" Eren asked, oddly quiet with his tone.

He drew Levi from his internal debate. Levi had been staring at him with hard, lost, grey eyes, and Eren waited until they became more focused before he proceeded. He cleared his throat, closing his eyes briefly as he rehearsed what it was that he was going to say.

_Here we go, he's going to speak his mind without thinking again._

"Sir, I know Petra has been sick for a few weeks now, and you seem to be very worried about it... but don't you think you should take care of yourself so that you can take care of her?" He blurted, his eyebrows creased, his eyes passionate. He had already stepped into Levi's emotional territory, so he continued quickly. "You have been really moody, and you don't seem to sleep as much. And you're always walking around. I can _hear_ you. Every night. Walking. And you haven't been eating much at meals, and you seem generally stressed-"

"_Eren _Jaeger." Levi said lowly, almost in a growl with his lips pulling back on each syllable. He crossed his arms and stood up from lounging against the bed post.

"And!" Eren quickly continued, tensing in his seat, but determined to get his words out, "and I am sorry for freaking out earlier, but it was necessary. I am not your stress relief or a punching bag. I am a soldier with a purpose. I actually expected you to hit me as soon as I walked in..."

"Do you want to get hit now instead?" Levi harshly stalked closer, his tone dangerously low and his shoes tapping viciously on the floor. He moved into Eren's space and glared down, bangs shadowing as he murderously stared. Eren had tightly sealed his lips, his wide eyes near tears at the sudden change in atmosphere. "Do you not think before you speak? I have authority, and you have my orders. You should obey them without questioning or grumbling or _talking back to me. _Erwin and I are the only reason you, you shitty brat, are still alive. Would you rather be dead? Would that be better than doing my cleaning tasks and training routines? Because I have the will and authority to end your life right now. If you do not or cannot hold up your end of the deal, and prove to be useful, you will be deemed a threat to humanity, and I _will _kill you. Have I made myself clear?"

Eren nodded quickly.

"And if you ever even _think_ about my personal problems again, I will string you up to a tree by your gear and beat you with your own sword. Do you understand?"

Eyes drifted submissively down, and once again, Eren nodded in understanding.

Levi impatiently tapped his foot, his arms tightly crossed over his chest. _This kid and his damn insight, and never knowing when to actually stay quiet... How dare he even bring Petra into the conversation?_

"Get out."

Eren glanced up, suddenly confused? Worried? His face conveyed horror and uncertainty.

_Good._

Levi couldn't deal with him at the moment. "I said get out. Go back to your dungeon room and stay there, you useless, shitty assed brat. Don't come out tomorrow until I say you can, understand?"

Eren nodded sharply and then quickly stood up. His "Sir" was weak as he respectfully saluted, and he exited the room ten times faster than he had come in.

Levi sighed the moment Eren disappeared, suddenly drained. _That was not how I had planned that... _He sighed loudly, dropping his arms from his chest and let his head drop back. _That was not how I should have handled that... why does that brat influence me so much? I wonder how Petra is doing. I should go check on her... Oh right... Erwin wanted to see me,_ he glumly remembered. He righted himself again and took the time to unfasten his gear,, unclipping his chest strap first, followed by the ones at his hips and around his thighs. He moved down his body, unsnapping the straps as he went, and when they were all unbuckled, he gracefully stepped from the contraption. He carelessly draped them over the chair Eren had previously been using, none of the straps intertwining or tangling, just the way he liked them. He would hang them up later. _Might as well get this meeting done and over with._ He stepped from his room with heavy eyes and pulled the door soundly behind him. He knew Erwin had heard the entire cleaning ordeal, and he also knew that Erwin wasn't one for unreasonable agitation.

Levi turned down the hall, starting his short journey to the commanders office. He could predict how the conversation would go, Erwin would restate everything that had happened, _every detail,_ Levi wouldn't be able to argue or deny what was said and done, and then Erwin would explain to him why it was wrong and why he didn't want him to do it. Typical coaching. Either that, or he would take his usual approach to any situation regarding Levi; unpredictable.

Another loud sigh sounded as he rounded the first corner of two. He dropped his head, letting his hair hang down in his face. He rarely ever showed his exhaustion, but he was tired of acting and keeping up reputation. The hallways were incredibly dark, but he knew the path by heart. It didn't matter if he could see or not, whether his eyes were alert or not. _Erwin is going to make a deal out of this, get all hot and bothered, and then I am going to bed._ He yawned simultaneously to the thought, just as he bumped into another person. Slightly startled, mostly annoyed, Levi cringed through the darkness, one hand on their shoulder. She was facing away from him, and the sway of her white night gown, the infirmary gown, caught his attention instantly. He suddenly became alert, clearly hearing to her hoarse breathing as it forced it's way from her chest.

Strawberry blonde hair whirled around and a firm grey hand grabbed his wrist.

His eyes widened as a familiar face lashed out at him, teeth bared, and decaying nails stained the sleeve of his white shirt red.

* * *

**F.R~ Thanks for reading, once again! Sorry for being a tease! I said zombies in this chapter... well... I meant next chapter! **

**Leave me a review! I welcome all feedback and encouragement! **

**Now... off to write my plot twist! Muahahaha!**


	4. An explanation

**A/N: Here is chapter four! It was going to easily be twice as long, so I chopped it in half. XD We can deal with more zombies in the next chapter.**

**I am sorry if it seems to be moving slowly! I feel like there should be more action, but I promise more intense, themed, emotional- ACHOO. Well. I just sneezed again. D'; I am sick and staying home. So expect more updates. XD Anyway, more to come! I want to end this, so I pla to write until I am satisfied with a conclusion. XD You guys will just determin how long that is.**

**Titan Mutations**

**Rated: M**

**Words: about 2,300.**

**Summary : A mysterious plague has hindered the 57th expedition beyond the walls. With six months to train, the scouting legion is last to find out that they may be facing another threat just as deadly, if not more terrifying, than the titans they study. Zombie AU;**

**Warnings and disclaimers: This is rated M, for violence, death,****language, and now ****questionable scenes****! And the next chapter is out of hand! Aha... Also! Shingeki no Kyojin belongs to Hajime Isayama! 100%! This story's plot line and individual words are mine though. **

**~ ENJOY^^**

* * *

Erwin sighed, signing yet another crisp sheet of paper. _How many more do I have left?_ His cerulean blue eyes flickered to the tall stack of papers at the corner of his desk. He sighed once again, leaning back in his cushioned chair and clasping his fingers together over his stomach. _Why is Levi taking so long? I really hope he didn't beat poor Eren into oblivion. _He sighed again, repeating in his head what it was that he needed to say when Levi did finally show. _Maybe I should start with his health?_

As if he mere thought of the man had drawn him in, he heard a rushed knock at his door, followed by the handle being violently turned. The door was forcefully shoved open and Levi stumbled in, quickly slamming the door closed behind him. He pushed his back up against it, bracing himself, his dark blues meeting light ones.

Erwin stood up quickly.

He knew those eyes.

The eyes of a spooked animal.

"Levi?" The normally pristine white shirt was soaked with blood, and Erwin gaped for a fraction of a second. Levi's face was pale under his dark hair, and he could see a light gleam of sweat on his forehead. Erwin quickly recovered his face, masking himself with confidence. "What happened?" His voice came out professional.

Levi was still gripping the handle, his eyes flickering about the room frantically and he cringed away as Erwin spoke; all problems Erwin needed to fix right away. "Come away from the door," He held out his hand, moving around the desk carefully and approaching hesitantly in an indirect arc. He had been fighting long enough to know the basic methods of herding, and herding a spooked Levi was ten times easier than chasing one. Levi immediately moved from the door as the man draw closer, using his right hand to guide him backwards and away from both. He shakily backed himself up against the dresser, his eyebrows creasing into a fearful look when a drawer knob pressed into his lower back. Without hesitation, he glided into the center of the room, distancing himself from all the objects, as well as Erwin.

Erwin lightly put a hand on the door. "What happened?" He asked, gently. He had practically raised Levi out of his difficult teenaged years, so the skittish side was nothing new to him. He would keep his distance until confrontation, and then when he got the chance, he would grab him. Their was a large gap between their sizes, and Erwin knew he could hold Levi down; if it came to that. But at the same time, he didn't underestimate the power when the man's self preservation kicked in.

He could also tell that the blood soaking the white shirt belonged to someone else. There was no way Levi would still be moving so easily or standing if he had bled that much. But who's was it? _I really hope it's not Eren..._

"Levi?"

Levi shook his head, backing up still, his eyes flicking between Erwin and the door.

_What could have possibly spooked him?_It had been years since the man had expressed fear. At first, everything had spooked the younger man into fleeing. Flight, and then fight; that had been his motto towards Erwin. Pulverize and flee had been the motto for everyone else. But Levi had grown out of that, and after his first titan encounter, Erwin hadn't seen _anything_ phase him.

_Is there a new threat?_

"Levi," Erwin stepped forward, making sure to keep Levi to his left. He made sure to keep his distance exact, one move in either direction would put Levi straight into his reach. He was sure Levi had come for help, but help fro what was what had Erwin worried. "Is Eren okay?"

"Eren?" Levi backed away, familiar with Erwin's strategy. It was like a trip in history. They both knew how the situation would play out, but yet they both continued to play along. His eyes widened with thought, "Eren is in his room!" His back hit the wall, and he moved to the side. "We need to get out of here, we need to go get him!"

"Wait, why?" Erwin moved with him, closing in quickly, "What's out there? Levi?"

"No," Levi jerked to the side again, attempting to slip out of Erwin's reach just as Erwin lunged forward. Levi stepped back quickly, twisting his small frame away from the larger man in an attempt evade, but Erwin grabbed his upper arm with one large hand. Both men were slammed into the wall and Levi gasped from the impact as two larger hands wrapped themselves around his wrists, easily halting his attempt to swing out at the towering body. Erwin twisted Levi to his back, shoving the man backwards and into the wall, trapping his legs with his own and his wrists to his sides. He glanced down at the shorter man, feeling successful. A thin leg was skillfully wrapped around his, and Erwin felt his knee give out. They toppled to the ground and he used the momentum to his advantage. He twisted before they hit the ground and landed atop Levi's thighs, trapping the man below, and holding his hands hostage. Levi squirmed, muttering profanities under his breath, but the more he moved, the closer he brought himself to Erwin, and the less space he found to resist.

"Calm down, Levi," Erwin said in a hushed tone. Levi struggled against the grip, glaring and yelling something about a dirty floor.

It was at that moment that Hanji shoved the door open. "Erwin, there is a-oh!" She stopped mid step, the door handle still in her hands as she observed both pairs of eyes on her. Levi was scowling with a furious snarl, a little paler than normal while Erwin was calm, like straddling Levi was an everyday occurrence to him. Hanji planted both feet firmly on the ground, her face dusting red. Her smile didn't falter, and she cleared her throat. "Erwin. There is a, umm, abnormality occurring- Levi is that blood!?"

Hanji suddenly rushed from the door, her thick brown hair bouncing as she moved. She dropped to her knees beside the two men, reaching a hand towards the dried blood on the thin shirt. Levi twisted underneath Erwin, growling and attempting to move away, his eyes locked on the open door.

"Close the door," He said lowly, "and don't! Touch! Me1"

"Right!" Hanji loudly exclaimed, prying her eyes from Levi and to Erwin, "Erwin! There is a problem!"

"Out with it, Hanji," Erwin said calmly. His hands tightened around Levi's wrists as the sly man almost slipped free in his newfound struggle.

"Ummm, well it's Petra, and ummm, I ran a few experaments over the past few weeks, and perhaps with some of her- that's besides the point! Basically, I ran some tests on Petra and she has been infected with a deadly pathogen, transferable through what appears to be direct contact only, such as through the sharing of bodily fluids, an-"

"Hanji," Erwin warned. Levi had gone limp beneath him, his eyes staring at Erwin with an exhausted glare. His face had drained of the remaining colour. Erwin held his gaze, gently squeezing his wrists. He needed to get everything in order, immediately. He could feel the presence of a threat in their castle.

"Okay, sir! Basically!"

"Is it actually basic this time?"

Hanji inhaled sharply, her smile fading as she mentally prepared herself to speak. She glanced upwards, all trace of emotion gone on her tense face. "Basically, Petra is dead, but her body is still alive."

Levi's head snapped towards Hanji, his eyes wide and body going rigid. He quickly looked away, his eyes narrowed. Erwin couldn't help but stare either.

"The virus, it takes over the brain. It kills the host, but still runs the medulla- err... motor functions of the brain, making them move and, well, appear to _live._ But the rest of the brain is dead, and over time the body dies too. So, what I am saying, is that over the past two weeks, Petra was dying. Her brain was dying, and now she is probably dead. But her body is still moving, and it would be harmless, this zombie-like state, if, well, err... the virus wasn't originated and mutated by a titan..."

Erwin blinked, sitting back. His hands went slack against Levi's wrists, but he didn't attempt to escape. Levi was looking away, looking as compliant as ever.

"So," Levi's voice was quiet, "Petra caught a virus from a titan, and she suffered, died, and is now out to eat human flesh?"

Hanji nodded at the simple summary.

"So, she suffered, to become a human sized titan?"

Hanji shook her head. "Her pain receptors were the first to die. That's how the virus infects it's host. So no, Levi, she did not suffer."

"And how do you know this?" Erwin asked calmy. "Are you sure?"

"I have some nice lab rats, Erwin, and trust me, I am very thorough when I become obsessed." She grinned manically, pointing a finger and winking. "But there are a lot of differences between this disease and titans. For example, if I were to get bit by one of my lab rats, the disease would most likely infect me. Like ninety-nine percent. And I could infect other people before I even get sick."

Erwin stood up.

"So," Hanji glanced down to Levi as he sat up slowly. She grinned innocently, "you must have run in to Petra earlier, did she bite or scratch you?"

Levi blinked, and then shook his head. He pushed himself up from the ground, complaining about the dirt. With one palm pushed to his forehead, he sighed, glancing around the room calmly. "She attacked me, but she didn't bite me. I don't know where this blood came from..."

_His eyes widened as a familiar face lashed out at him, teeth bared, and decaying nails stained the sleeve of his white shirt red. He gasped, stepping back as the taller girl fell forward, her red eyes dead and glassy. She reached out for him again, her grip tightening to an uncomfortable pressure around his caught limb. His heart rate suddenly spiked and a cold, forgotten feeling settled into his chest._

_Levi pulled back, pushing his trapped hand forward and his free hand out of reach. She had caught him completely off guard, so she already had his back to the wall. Her dead weight was almost immovable against him as she slammed a hand into his shoulder, trying to push him down. Her face came level with his, her wide eyes blindly seeking his neck, strands of soft hair hung in her face. Her blue lips pulled back exposing perfect white teeth and a receded gum line as she moved forward slowly and shakily, seeming unsure with what it was that she was supposed to be doing. The rounded tip of her nose found the junction between his neck and collarbone, and it gently glided up the side of his neck. Her dry lips touched his skin, but no breath tickled his senses. Goosebumps invaded the exposed skin and a shudder forced his knees to give out just as a cold tongue licked at the vein on the underside of his jaw._

"_Petra," he had said quietly as he slid down the wall, momentarily separating their faces. _I understand_. She slowly fell down with him, her heavy body landing atop his. He used his free arm to push against his chest, his trapped hand going numb from the constricted blood flow. "Petra,"_

_She leaned forward once again, her mouth instantly finding the vein she had originally sought just under his jaw. Her teeth gently scraped against the pulsating flesh. She pressed her chest against his, making him feel cold and clammy, and suddenly soaked. He shivered again, as she ran her teeth atop the vein more harshly, turning the white skin a purple-red._

_She had no body heat._

"_I'm sorry, Petra," He used all of his strength to shove her back with his left hand on her shoulder, and his trapped hand on her other, just as she lunged forward, teeth violently clicking together in the air. She snapped at him again, her grip tightening to breaking measures. He used the floor to his advantage, bringing his knee up and under her chin, snapping her jaw closed painfully fast, her head snapping backwards from the impact. She didn't make a sound as he kicked her in the chest, her heavy body merely falling backwards, hand still gripping his. He lunged forward with new found adrenaline, pushing her flat onto her back, and using the momentum to rip his arm from her grip._

_He stood tall, wide eyes staring into the girl below him. _That is not Petra._ His eyes widened, as she growled, experimenting with her vocal cords for the first time. She sat up slowly, her hungry gaze still resting on him. She had the same predatory look of a titan._

_..._

_Heart beating painfully hard, Levi froze. He was weaponless. He was defenceless. He was unsure. But that was not Petra. He knew for a fact that the creature before him was not Petra, it was merely her shell, and that fact alone was enough to scare him._

_An old instinct kicked in, the rush he used to get when he had first been brought to the Scouting Legion. He turned on his heel and fled. He knew the path by heart and he knew that the man behind the door would help him, would be armed and ready to protect him._

_But as he fled, he felt the world fall, and he was plunged back into the darkness he had struggled to survive._

* * *

**F.R: What was that about an otp? Ahaha!**

**Here you go! What do you think? Should the chapters get longer? Am I going to slow? :S I don't know. But I see hordes of zombies in the near future. :P**

**Make my day. Leave me a review!**


	5. Spreading

**A/N: Soooo... This took me a while. Because I had my birthday, on the 3****rd****, and then was sick, on yesterday, and I was at a wedding- all day today, and I am super tired and sick and tired! But determined! Because I need to get this chapter out before I move on! Yah!**

**So this chapter is kind of crappy or discription, lol and umm... scary. Yeah. Scary... O.o**

**AND A PRE-NOTE ON SOMETHING. So, some of you may be confused, because I don't know if I explained this well, but basically, when you walk down and into the dungeon, there is a huge, metal gate that would separate the guards from the prisoners. It was like their cheap form of security. There is a large gate separating, let's say, four rooms? From the stair case, and the only way in and out is past this gate. But there are rooms with locks instead of prison bars behind the gate for the hostages/prisoners. (who were normally shackled).**

**Does that make sense?**

**Rated: M**

**Words: 3,300. **

**Summary : A mysterious plague has hindered the 57th expedition beyond the walls. With six months to train, the scouting legion is last to find out that they may be facing another threat just as deadly, if not more terrifying, than the titans they study. Zombie AU;**

**Warnings and disclaimers: This is rated M, for violence, death, language, and now ****questionable scenes! ****AND GORE. OMG. CHRACTER DEATH. Be careful reading ahead and don't hate me too much!**** Aha...**

**Also! Shingeki no Kyojin belongs to Hajime Isayama! 100%! This story's plot line and individual words are mine though. **

* * *

**** If you want to skip the super gory part, please just don't read the italicized scene.** I have broken it into a section like this! When you hit the break, and see more italics, JUST SKIP IT IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO READ. Otherwise, you know the gory stuff is right where you want it. Aha, Enjoy! ^^ **

* * *

Eren was just about to lie down when Mikasa came flying into his room again.

She shoved the door open so violently, he feared for the security of its hinges. The knob slammed against the stone wall of the dungeon, echoing loudly as if it had indented, and she grabbed the edge and whirled the door shut just as fast as she had opened it. The motion was such a blur that Eren felt his head spin. _What is her problem now? _She had literally just left to give him some rest, and now she was already coming back? She stormed across the room, boots tapping heavily on the stone. She was in her gear- like she was ready to go to war- with her face was darkened and her mouth was hidden in the red scarf that securely wrapped around her jaw line. Her eyes glinted murderously from beneath her soft black bangs.

_What happened? _Eren threw his legs over the side of the bed, sitting straight as his furious half sister approached him. His kept his eyes averted from directly meeting hers, his inner emotions still swirling from the hurtful words Levi had spat at him. It would take a while to recover from that. He settled for staring at her nose, and her soft looking full lips. He wasn't sure why Mikasa was there, but there was enough determination in her eyes to unsettle him. _Maybe she heard that Levi had threatened to kill me..._

"Eren, get your gear on." She said harshly, her words strained as she stopped in front of him. Even mad, she really was beautiful, tall and majestic, her head held high with confidence-

"Umm," Eren compeltely averted his gaze, suddenly blushing. "Why?"

Mikasa scoffed, crossing her arms, drawing his eyes back. "Because we are under attack, that is why. Get your gear,"

There was a shriek from upstairs, prompting Eren to stand up and do as he was told. He set his bare feet onto the stone and quickly crossed the room, pulling open the closet door and grabbing for his daily attire. Mindless of Mikasa's presence, he stripped in the closet and changed immediately, pulling off his loose shirt and pants to replace them. He grumbled as he stepped into his military pants, pulling them up with extra effort; he was getting taller and heavier still and they had become almost dangerously tight. He managed to squeeze them on with minimal grumbling, and then stepped into his straps, grabbing his shirt in one hand. He clipped himself up to his waist, and then exited the closet, throwing a clean shirt over his head and flashing Mikasa a great view of his well toned torso. Several months of being beat and worked to the bone would sculpt a body beautifully. He pulled his face from the neck line, catching Mikasa's lingering eyes. She quickly glanced away. He couldn't help but smile.

Mikasa hadn't moved from her original position beside his bed, her eyes locked on the door. Eren crossed the room, watching her, watching how her face concentrated on the closed door as if something were to jump out at any given second. _What is going on out there?_ Her presence made him feel confident, her need to protect him only fuelled his need to survive. In a matter of seconds, Eren was at the foot of his bed, stepping into his boots. When the last heel clicked securely against the floor, the door was shoved open violently once again, and two bodies stumbled in.

Eren froze, observing.

Levi looked like he had died, gone to hell, and came back. His eyes were wide, his face white as a sheet, and he had an arm wrapped around Hanji's shoulders for support. Hanji had both arms around him, one around his shoulders, the other at his hip to try and help guide him. It seemed like Levi wasn't even able to support himself, dumping his dead weight straight onto Hanji. He seemed eerily indifferent to the world, like he had finally quit at their pathetic excuse of a life and was ready to just lay down and give up. Hanji led him in, helping him settle into a near by chair- more like dropping him roughly into the seat- and then she stood straight, stretching out her back, her eyes never leaving the corporal. Eren and Mikasa stood to attention.

_Serves him right. _Eren glared, recalling the conversation from earlier. He knew he would regret his thought though. There was something severely _off_ about the entire situation.

Hanji turned, her face eerily serious. "Make sure Levi does not leave, and you three are to remain her regardless of what happens. I will be locking the gate, so no one can get in. I will leave you the keys. When I come back with Erwin and the rest of the squad, or if any stragglers make it down here, you will let us in, understand?"

Mikasa nodded in acknowledgement while Hanji quickly handed a gold skeleton key to Eren. She clasped her hands over his when he accepted it, silently praying that everything would work out, and then headed out of the room. Eren followed as Hanji left through the wooden door, a multitude of questions hanging on his tongue. _What are we fighting? Why is everyone so panicked? What happened to Levi? How do I fit into this?_ He walked into the hallway, watching as Hanji walked past the dungeon rooms, and then stepped out side of the guard bars. For some reason, the basement layout was set up like a locked community. Instead of paying for individual barred doors on each room, like cells, there was one large one to secure several bedrooms; probably cheaply funded by the military police. Hanji pulled the barred metal door closed for the first time since they had occupied the castle.

"Eren, come lock this." She called hesitantly, carefully glancing over her shoulder at the staircase. The dungeon was only about twenty feet blow ground, so it was deeper than most basements, but it wasn't ridiculously deep at the same time.

Though, in the event of a crisis, that was a long ways up.

Eren gulped, hesitantly walking forward. He reached his arms through the bars, too unsure to question the eccentric woman. With the skeleton key in one hand, he shoved it into the pad lock and twisted, hearing metal screech against metal, the lock separating them. He gulped again, eyeing Hanji directly. "Hanji?"

"Shush, it's okay. We will explain when we come back." Her words were rushed, and she quickly turned away, heading towards the stairs. She ascended the first step and then stopped, half looking over her shoulder. "If none of us return, please stay safe." She added ominously.

She jogged up the steps and out of view before Eren even had time to process what she had just said.

Eren blinked, spinning on his heel. Something was happening, and it was big. Titans? _No... It can't be..._

"Eren," Mikasa had trickled in behind him, but he blatantly ignored her, heading to his bedroom in a daze, and blindly whirling on the man in his chair.

"What is going on?" His voice was loud and harsh, but the man didn't even flinch. Levi's face didn't change or reflect anything, which only furthered to annoy Eren. Eren clenched his fists, grabbing the mans shoulders, opening his mouth to yell again.

Levi twitched at the contact, his eyes locking with Erens and in the flash of a second, Eren found himself face first on the ground, one arm twisted back, and an angry boot pressed between his shoulder blades. The cold stone practically burned his cheek and he grunted, trying to twist into a more comfortable position. His elevated and twisted arm prevented that however, and he could feel the weight of humanity's strongest holding him down. He could have sworn something cracked.

There was an angry growl and another yell just as Mikasa's boots came into view. Eren grumbled, twisting against the floor as she stepped closer.

"Levi, I swear!"

"Shush," Levi said quietly.

"No! Get off of Eren!"

"Eren," Levi's voice became oddly soft, "If I let you up, will you shut up? It is important that we are all quiet until Hanji comes back with everyone else." There was something about the words that struck Eren into silence. He didn't know what was going on, he didn't know why. But there had been an urgency in the lower tones of his voice, pleading Eren indirectly to listen to the man, lest he endanger their lives.

He grunted irritably against the cold stone flooring, and then nodded. "I'll be quiet." He added almost silently.

It had been an hour or so since Hanji's disappearance, and Levi couldn't help but feel slightly worried. Recovered, and back to his indifferent self, he was still seated in the chair, one leg crossed over the other and his arms crossed with an unreadable black expression as he watched Mikasa and Eren sit in silence on the bed. Side by side, with their knees pulled up to their chest and their backs against the wall, the inseparable teenagers were silently brooding at their situation. They were armed and ready to fight, but they still had no idea what it was they were up against.

Levi didn't plan on telling them about the dead woman roaming the hallways above them.

He shuddered at the mere thought.

Bright greens caught his eyes, and he felt his eyebrow twitch. Eren had seen his emotion just now, and was probably reading the direness of the situation. Levi refrained from sighing and scolding the boy for staring; he did not want to draw Petra's attention. He really hoped that Hanji had been able to take care of the situation, and that it had been a one time thing.

_I really hope no one else has become one of... those... but... wait..._

Mikasa suddenly stiffened, her head snapping towards the closed and locked door. Levi watched as her eyes widened in alert, her body readying to spring if the door handle was even touched from the other side. Eren noticed the shift and tensed as well, his unaware eyes landing on the door of Mikasa's attention.

Levi closed his eyes, concentrating. _How can you protect these kids if you can't even keep it together?_ Mikasa was at the top of the class, the smartest and most capable he had ever seen. and if she was suddenly concerned, than he knew it was a real threat beyond the doors._ But why didn't I hear anything? Probably because I can't get rid of those images..._

His eyes suddenly widened as he abruptly stood up from the chair, causing Mikasa to flinch and jerk her sword, the soft sound of metal scraping against metal echoing through out the bedroom. Levi's blood pressure rose as the new found silence pierced his ears. He felt a sweat break out against his forehead. _If that is Petra, then she probably knows we are here now..._ There was a slight shuffle beyond the bedroom, and then a moan. The barred gate creaked as slight weight was applied, and then something smashed against it with a furious growl. The shriek of the gate was deafening, and it effectively drew Mikasa and Eren to their feet. They flew from the bed, heels clicking on the stone, the echoing slowly settling into intense silence.

They both glanced to Levi. Silently pleading for the information he should have given them earlier.

_Shit._

He slowly brought one index finger to his lips, encouraging them to remain silent. Only his eyes moved, glancing towards the door. _It can't break through the gate, can it? Will it move on if it doesn't hear us ot gets distracted, like a titan?_

More weight was thrown against the locked gate, the metal smashing off the metal and creaking its protest against the force. It's off key screams rang through the air as the growl became louder. It sounded foreign, like a lost, dying animal seeking it's last meal. It was higher pitched, more of a feminine note, but deadly and crazed. The sound was murderous against their ears, and Mikasa tensed up, her knuckles white from grasping the half-sheethed sword. She didn't dare usheath it, and she didn't dare flinch. They remained silent. She glanced to Levi once again, awaiting instructions.

Levi merely shook his head, his hands subconsciously resting on the hilts of his own swords. Eren followed his lead, preparing himself just in case. The rattling was insistent, but bearable. It would eventually get tired and move on, right?

Was it Petra? Was that her slamming against the dungeon gate? Was she out to kill, like she had been before? He shuddered again as his memory replayed the feel of her fangs scraping his neck. He forcefully pushed the thought aside before it evolved into anything more she learn- did she learn from their encounter earlier? _Why, Petra? Why did it have to be you?_ What would he do if she was like a titan, an aberrant titan? She had already proven that she cold learn, though she didn't follow Levi to Erwin's room earlier that night. Why hadn't she? Had she been distracted and saw someone else-

He suddenly remembered the sight that he had seen on his way down to check on Eren. Hanji had been talking about the situation, and how Petra's descriptions fit the folklore of 'zombies'. It had been an old legend about the reanimation of corpses, and how they would stalk the Earth in search of human flesh. They could transfer their disease, and turn living humans into zombies if they were not successful in eating their victim.

At first, Levi had been sceptical. The world was already plagued with Titans, also an old folklore, so surely another threat wouldn't be placed to them, would it? He hadn't been sure, until he had walked into the kitchen.

* * *

_He had been walking, with Hanji pushing him gently down the hallway, her hand on his back. The feeling had been both a comfort and an annoyance; he wasn't sure which was more prominant. She hadn't spoke of his previous freak out, a rare sight that she would definitely talk about. Erwin had instructed the two to go check on Eren immediately; the last thing they needed was for the boy to be attacked, killed, or to turn into his titan and go on a rampage against the threat. Hanji had been bickering, but Levi's thoughts were stuck on Eren, and what had just happened._

Was that really Petra?

_He inhaled deeply as he descended the stairs and into the kitchen. One of his comrades had died without him knowing, and he could feel his heart squeeze from it; for her._

_He didn't even get to say goodbye, and he didn't get to comfort her in her last moments._

_A gasp from Hanji had drawn his attention up as they landed into the kitchen, and he had froze on the steps, his eyes wide, his heart stopped, and his knees no longer supporting his weight. Hanji abruptly screeched beside him, but the sound was lost in his deaf ears._

_The room was painted red._

_Petra was nowhere to be seen, but she had clearly been by. The normally spotless kitchen was sticky with blood. It was splattered everywhere, tracing the cracks in both the walls and the floors. Auruo was face first on the floor with his face practically ripped off. His short blonde hair was slicked back with blood. His grasped sword was shining and unused, only darkened by the pool it was resting in. His clothes were in tatters, practically shredded with his body, and pieces of flesh and organ littered the stone around him. Not too far away from him was Gunter, his body left in more tatters than Auruo. His head was dislodged, his body in indistinguishable pieces save for the clothes that were still partially attached to the removed limbs. There were visible bite marks in his remaining flesh, indicating that the missing body parts had been consumed. His blood painted almost the entirety of the floor, indicating that every artery had been severed severely. There was a soaked boot not too far away from the mess, as well as several swords littering the ground. A severed, grey hand was rolled just under the table. Tissue and flesh leaked from the limb, but there didn't seem to be any blood present._

_Levi violently threw up._

_He had never seen a titan make such a mess of a human being before. The blood was inevitable, yes, but a titan normally ate the entire human; it didn't tear one apart and leave behind the unwanted remains. He had tolerated so much blood before; but to see someone he knew so well ripped apart into so many pieces- that was a whole new level of disgust for him._

_Hanji had grabbed his arm, pulling the white faced man to his feet and closer to her trembling body._

"_We need to go," She had said gently._

* * *

On their way down, they had run into Mikasa, immediately telling her to return to Eren.

Thinking back on it, Levi couldn't help but wonder why Petra hadn't remained on scene. According to Hanji's seventy-two hour lab rat tests, the zombified rats would eat the healthy rats until they were munching on the bones; just like a titan. And just like titans, their digestive systems were not working, meaning that they had no reason to eat humans.

_Twenty four hours of an advanced cold. Twenty four hours of incapacitation. And then the rats technically died, and entered the zombie like state._

"Petra had a cold for two weeks." He suddenly said quietly. Eren and Mikasa both turned, surprised at the first words they had heard in a few hours. "She had a cold, and then she caught the virus, forty-eight hours ago."

Mikasa tilted her head in question, just as the creature beyond slammed into the gate again, making Eren jump.

"She was sick, and then she was incapacitated... and now, she is dead."

Both pairs of eyes widened at him. Levi promptly looked away. "But she is still functioning and trying to eat us." He snickered, like he had expected none the less from the strong woman, like he was secretly proud, "We are basically facing a human sized titan that is already dead. It's lethal points have not yet been noted," he ignored the gapes of horror coming from the teens, his mind wandering suddenly, his thoughts mostly concerning himself, "Erd... he went to bed with a headache and a cough... did he draw Petra from the kitchen earlier?"

As if to answer his question, a second, more beastly and masculine growl came from half way up the stairs. The feminine growling silenced, along with the shuffling, and the shaking of the bars ceased.

Silence engulfed them for almost a full minute. For fifty-eight seconds, the pounding of ones heart could be felt and heard in their temples. Sweat glistened, and adrenaline raced. They could feel the approaching climax, and within the slightest millisecond, they would need to act.

They all knew this.

And then a distinctively male voice roared louder than the slamming of bars, the sound of running feet echoing down the steps as another, larger creature approached the locked gate. Eren shuddered at the battle cry of the creature as what sounded like a heeled boot struck the stone floor just outside of the dungeon.

It was when the body collided, and the sound of metal giving, that Levi decided hiding wasn't going to work.

* * *

**Scary stuff right here! Don't hate me! D;**

**~Auruo and Gunter were essentially killed and eaten. Petra is a zombie. And is Erd one too?~**

**Stay tuned. O.o There is more where that came from. Let me know- if it's too much or potentially could be too much, I can and will tone it down. ^^;**

**Thanks for reading!**


	6. First Bite

**A/N: Good question, PartyGirl38! Are there pairings? Technically. No. Are there if you squint? Yes! Basically, I don't want to revolve the story around pairings, but if you guys want to see some love, well, I am sure I can work that in. ;P Let me know!**

**Also, thank-you, both PartyGirl38 and Tennu for your repeated encouragement. xD**

**Also! This chapter was such a bisnatch to write. Seriously. I realized I was doing the 'comma thing' again. So I took out almost all of my commas, (some sentences had up to six,) and all of a sudden! My writing sounded weird! So I had to do serious editing this time. Hope you guys like the edited writing style! AKA. How I should write. LOL**

**Rated: M**

**Words: 2, 700.**

**Summary : Zombies. Maybe I should turn this into a Fantasy Fic. xD**

**Warnings and disclaimers: This is rated M, for violence, death, language, questionable scenes, gore, blood, character death, and Levi. Levi is mature.**

**Also! Shingeki no Kyojin still belongs to Hajime Isayama! 100%! This story's plot line and individual words are mine though.**

* * *

They had just enough time to get into formation before the door was forced off it's hinges. The metal attachments soared past Levi's head with a _whoosh_ while the wood splintered and shattered, littering the room as a larger body emerged from the destruction with it's teeth bared and fingers curled. With Mikasa and Eren on one side of the door and Levi on the other, the creature wold have to turn it's back to at least one of them so that when it chose it's prey, the other party cold attack. That had been the split second plan he had come up with, so of course there were going to be many issues and glitches, if it even worked at all. _It's not good to trust instant decisions, anyway_. The creature suddenly turned on Levi, greying eyes that once held life locking on his face. No recognition passed the monsters features and it stepped forward with it's hands out and mouth open. Glistening drool dripped from it's slack lower jaw. It's pale skin was faintly turning grey while it's blonde hair was still pristine and alive, indicating that the man had been dead for no more than an hour or so.

Levi, however, recognized it as Erd, his second in command. He felt his heart squeeze for another fallen comrade, a comrade who had to suffer the worst kind of death.

_Zombification._

He didn't have time for sentiments though as a hand clasped down on his shoulder and squeezed none too gently. It was a familiar gesture that sent a shiver down his spine. His eyebrows creased and he grunted as his hands grasped the hilts of his swords in the matter of a second. He unsheathed them both at the same time forcing the sound of metal screeching against metal to drain out the groans of the dead beings in the room. The feminine groan that belonged to Petra echoed behind Erd, her voice more distinct than his. There was a yell from Eren and a snarl from the Petra-corpse, irritating Levi into moving faster. Regardless to her presence and the fact that Erd was practically on top of him, a twirling motion sent the blades directly to the monsters abdomen and sliced through the dead skin with little resistance. Erd leaned forward and his forehead landed on Levi's with a sigh. Erd's breath was rotting and the front of Levi's shirt became soaked through with what he assumed to be blood. He could feel the wetness seeping through to his skin and it ran down his stomach. It was a disgusting feeling that chilled his insides as he stared eye to eye with his threat. He ignored the fact that Erd's innards had seeped through the wounds and spilled to the floor. There was a soft _plop_ sound as more innards fell. Erd didn't seem to notice or care too much. His focus was intently set on Levi, and with that thought process, he snapped his head forward and clicked his jaws just a fraction away from Levi's moving nose. Levi hastily stepped backwards and felt his foot slide out from underneath him just as Erd leaned forward with teeth bared and ready to bite, pushing them both backwards and towards the ground. Erd's teeth met flesh. Levi tried to twist away before they hit the ground and sealed his fate, when a quick slash of light severed Erd's neck and neatly sliced through Levi's forehead in one quick motion.

Levi's back hit the cold stone below and he choked as his breath rushed from his lungs. An immovable weight landed on top of him, causing him to choke out everything he had left. He gasped in a lungful of air and coughed. He could feel Erd's sticky skin rubbing off on him and the blood and organs that were smeared across his smaller body. _I seriously don't want to know what is on me. _He shifted underneath the weight as he glanced up and found Mikasa. She was towering over him with a shaded look to her eyes and her bloodied swords were slack in her hands. Her features were dark and unreadable. Perhaps killing people she had known had not been on her agenda.

Levi struggled to free his hands which were trapped beneath Erd's stomach. He needed to get up. He twisted his body, his hand penetrating Erd's flesh and his fingers digging in to the man's insides. With a strangled yelp he retreated his hands and twisted beneath the body more frantically before. He slipped out what could have looked gracefully if it weren't for the look in his eyes. He stood up with false stability. His hands tensed along with the rest of his muscles. _These things are something else._

"Sir," Eren's voice from the other side of the room was shaky and light.

Levi ignored the fact that his entire outfit was stained red. He didn't exactly want to observe his state of dress because of the simple fact that he didn't have time to change. He also didn't want to get sick again, like earlier whe he had walked in on Auruo and Gunter. His dark grey eyes focused on Mikasa again and he cleared his throat as he pulled on the soaked neckline of his shirt.

"Why didn't you kill him the second he turned on me?" His voice was more even than his thoughts. He silently thanked the girl despite the fact that she had taken her time to save him. His eyes suddenly fell to  
the floor. Thin blonde hair fanned over a severed head and the remaining body lay not too far away. It was then that he realized the both Mikasa and Eren were just as soaked in blood as he was. Eren was sitting on the floor with blood splattered across his face, his shirt and pants were no longer white. In contrast, his green eyes were wide with both horror and uncertainty as he stared at red hands that held dripping swords.

_I didn't realize she caused them so much trouble..._

"Sir?" Mikasa's dark voice suddenly drew Levi from his staring. She looked at him expectantly. "I said Petra attacked us. We couldn't get to you immediately. That is why it took me so long."

Levi nodded in understanding, glancing to the bodies at their feet. Petra was just as slashed up as Erd, he noticed. Perhaps he had gotten the easier of the two. _I don't think I could have done that to Petra... _"We need to sever their heads in order to kill them." He stated the obvious.

Mikasa nodded. Eren simply averted his gaze. The sleeve of his left arm was ripped off and he had a hand gripping his upper arm. The blood staining his skin was a brighter red than the rest. It was fresh, live blood, not dead and decaying. Levi could make out the faint traces of what looked like a bite underneath all the red. Eren's arm was covered in his own blood. Suddenly ignoring Mikasa, he stepped across the room and knelt down beside the boy. He grabbed his arm despite Eren's protests, and held it up to examine the wound. Eren shuddered away, his eyes seeking the floor. Levi wiped his thumb across the indents, ignoring Eren's hiss of pain.

"Did Petra bite you?" Levi asked.

Eren nodded, still not looking. Mikasa knelt beside him with a torn piece of fabric. With a dirty look she quickly wiped the wound clean. Eren clenched his jaw and ignored her. She gave Levi a good look at the swelling flesh, and the depth of the bite. It was fairly deep and quite large, wrapping around his arm. Petra had gotten a good grip; her back molars had cut skin, and there was in indentation from the back of her mouth. Fresh cells were already bursting from the holes and Mikasa continuously had too dab at them so Levi could see.

"Wrap it." Levi said with a sigh. He closed his eyes and stood up. The wound wasn't smoking so it clearly wasn't going to heal. _Is he going to turn in to one of them? What happens if his titan form turns into one of them too..._

He exhaled more dramatically and pinched the bridge of his nose. What was he going to do? The world was trying to eat him. The zombies were easier to kill than titans and they didn't seem to have regeneration powers. Just like the titans, the spinal cord -or the joint between brain and spinal cord- seemed to be the only way to kill them. They had an insatiable hunger for human flesh, and scarily enough, they could infect other people. They had no information on the titan-zombie relationships, along with the lack of understanding what the creature was. Killing them seemed easy enough, but they would infect and wipe out all of humanity before they could all be killed.

And now Eren was on his way to being one of them.

_I have forty-eight hours to try and save him._

"Levi." Mikasa pulled Levi from his daze once again. She was standing beside the still sitting Eren. She lightly glanced to the door. "I think there are more,"

_Sigh._ Levi reequipped his swords and then headed towards the door in indirect question. If there were more in the building, then they had heard the commotion and were probably on their way. "We need to move." He glanced out from the door frame to make sure that they were the only things moving. He had had enough surprises for one day. Satisfied at the emptiness of the hallway, he stepped out and moved towards the staircase with graceful stealth. His normally noisy shoes were silent against the stone.

Mikasa and Eren's weren't, however.

The metal gate was on the ground and destroyed beyond recognition; Erd had clearly thrown his entire weight at the thing. The metal bars were dislodged and twisted into awkward angles. The gate door had been ripped clean from the wall which was now crumbling and falling apart. There was no way a human body could have caused that much damage without destroying itself. No logical explanation formed in Levi's mind. Unless the zombie's could harden their skin like the iron titan, there were too many contradictions for Erd to have possibly taken the gate down.

_Great. This doesn't make sense._

"We head upstairs, and keep a look out for anyone." Levi said quietly. He stored his observations into the back of his mind. He needed to get all three of them to safety first. And then Eren needed medical attention. "We will need to reach the roof. Mikasa, take the back of our formation, Eren, stay right behind me."

Levi lead the group from the room, his heavy eyelids threatening to close on him at any moment. He was exhausting himself rather quickly; he hadn't slept well the past few weeks, nor had he been taking care of his health. His lack of sleep and nutrition picked the worst time to affect him, along with his freak out from earlier. Petra's situation had taken him completely off guard, and being emotionally effected too, he had been quick to jump into flee mode. Escape the situation, reflect the situation, confront the situation. That was how he had survived the streets. That was how he had learned.

But in the military, there really wasn't anywhere to flee to, causing extreme distress when he exercised his old habit.

Levi moved forward, leading the trio towards the stairs. He could hear Eren just a step behind him. Mikasa was staying close to the rear, most likely to make sure that Eren didn't collapse or anything. Her footsteps were lighter and more even than her brothers. Eren's shuffle slightly worried Levi.

Levi stopped at the base of the stairs and glanced up suspiciously. It was dark in the castle, and the staircase was almost pitch black. No one had lightened any of the torches, because no one had been by. There were no guard rails, so one step in the wrong direction could end a life. He highly doubted than anyone had fallen, though.

_Where did everyone go?_

He tested the first step with the toe of his boot. Eren grunted as he leaned into the wall and into Levi's personal space. He could feel the boys' breath on the back of his arm. It chilled the blood that was cooling to his skin. Aside from Eren there was no other noise.

It was a little unsettling.

"Up we go."

The stairs were quiet as the three made their way up. Nothing but the pads of their shoes hitting the stones. There were no moans of the mysterious dead beings nor were there sounds of any other threats. Only the echo of their feet was heard, which was a good thing, right?

But at the same time, there was no sound of the rest of the squad, which was probably a bad thing.

Something was clearly off.

Several minutes later, they reached the top of the stairs without incident. Levi pushed open the door cautiously and peeked around the corner. He had expected another animated soldier to attack the second the door was opened. His heart pounded from the anticipated encounter. There was nothing to be seen except for the darkness and the lack of people. The main room was silent and abandoned, as well as dark and ominous. The stench of blood clung to the air, but Levi couldn't tell if it was from his party or from another. He stepped into the main room, placing his hands on his hips as he looked around and listened. There was no sign of life or movement. Not even a bug skittered across the floor. The castle was silent save for their breathing, and even the weather outside was calm.

_Where did Hanji and them go?_

He moved through the room, painfully eyeing the door that led to the kitchen, and then ascended the stairs towards Erwin's room. Might as well check out the place before they evacuated. Who knew what they would find.

Eren slowly followed behind. He glanced over his shoulder every couple of minutes to make sure that Mikasa was still safe behind him. She kept an arm on his shoulder for reassurance as they made their way to the top floor. They entered the wing and started down the stone hallway. The faster they got to their destination, the safer they would be.

Or had they made a mistake?

Their peaceful silence only lasted a few minutes.

A deep rumble shook the floor and the walls and Levi fell to a knee from the sudden impact. He quickly righted himself as the vibrations ceased and turned to his following teenagers. Eren was flat on the ground while Mikasa was hovering over him like she was protecting him from a collapsing ceiling. Eren's eyes were closed and his body limp beneath her. She was yelling, her mouth was clearly moving, but Levi couldn't hear her over the crumbling of stone. He moved to draw closer just as a loud scream echoed throughout the castle with enough power to shake the building once again.

That scream was definitely not human, and despite the fact that it was deafening loud, it sounded far away. Levi turned on his heel and his eyes fell on an open window right beside him. His ears were ringing as the sound faded. Mikasa's voice filtered in and he could hear her yelling again. He stared out the window, her words lost on his ears. Out in the distance, along the horizon, there was a large creature. It was no fifty meter colossal titan, but it was drawing close. Maybe forty feet tall. Somewhere around there. But unlike the titans, it didn't look human.

It wasn't human.

_Is that a-_

He didn't get to finish his thought. The stone below his feet crumbled like sand and he felt his weight drop. Air rushed past his ears as the castle hallway violently morphed into darkness. Mikasa screamed his name. He felt his chest expand witha sudden gasp from sharp, blinding pain, and then all was lost to the man.

* * *

**F.R~ ZOMG IT'S A DRAGON!**


	7. That Monster

**A/N: Whoooah!~ SORRY. Long excuse short! Work got retarded! And well, Pokemon X happened. XD Here's your overdue update... though I didn't exactly edit it...**

**Rated: M**

**Words: 2,400.**

**Summary : Zombies Apocolypse!**

**Warnings and disclaimers: This is rated M, for violence, death, language, questionable scenes, gore, blood, character death, MANGA SPOILERS, and Levi. Levi is mature.**

**Also! Shingeki no Kyojin still belongs to Hajime Isayama! 100%! This story's plot line and individual words are mine though.**

* * *

The rumble of voices woke him from his heavy slumber.

His body felt like marble and it refused to move as the thick substance lazily trickled through his veins. There was an unbearable pressure on his chest and he couldn't feel anything below his waist. His heavy eye lids refused to open as he searched for a reason behind his paralysis._ What happened? _There was a searing pain ripping down his spine and it branched into the bones of his right arm causing his hand to prickle from numbness. His face was void of emotion despite the fact that he was willing it to show expression for once.

Any expression, just to make sure he was actually alive.

Or was this death? Was he dead? _I can't be dead. I can hear Hanji blabbing right beside me._

"He moved!" Yes, that was Hanji's voice. Hanji's sweet, eccentrically shrill, voice. He couldn't be dead. The back of his eyelids slowly changed from black to a healthy shade of red as the sunlight illuminated the blood vessels. He was slowly drifting into consciousness. _Hanji, keep talking to me!_

"Mikasa! Eren! He moved!" A hand was gently placed onto his hurting shoulder and he couldn't hold back the whimper that escaped his mouth. His body flared in protest against the ache as it spread violently throughout him. He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes cracking open.

"Oh my god, Levi!" Hanji shrieked and then a hand collided with his cheek. He gasped as the slap echoed through his ears. His eyes snapped open and he curled his body protectively away from her. "That was for scaring me, you terrible meanie!" Hanji yelled unnecessarily loud. "Do you know how worried we were?"

Levi lazily dragged his eyes towards two sets of pupils. Hanji was wide eyed and nearly tearing behind her glasses. Her hair was dishevelled in her ponytail, and her military uniform was stained red. She was sitting cross legged on the stone ground. Beside her was Mikasa, sitting casually with her back against a wall. Her dark eyes were focused on him, her hands running gently through Eren's hair. The boy was slouched against her with his eyes squeezed shut as if he were in pain. His breathing was heavy and his skin was several shades paler than normal. His face was dirty from both blood and dirt, along with his clothes.

Everything suddenly came back to him.

"I fell." Were the first words out of his mouth.

"No shit." Hanji said. She gave him a funny grin. "You fell because those zombie bastards took down the East wall. The whole damn building collapsed!"

Levi slowly pulled himself into a sitting position, glancing around. He cradled his injured arm to his chest, eyeing the dusty debris surround him. They were sitting on the collapsed stone floors of the castle. Glancing up, he could see the sunlight trickling down. _We are further down than the dungeon?_ He didn't remember the castle running so far underground.

"Remember the secret escape tunnel? We are sitting in it." Hanji clarified. Her grin faltered as she sighed.

Levi glanced to her. "What happened?"

"We were ambushed after I left, and those of us who escaped took refuge on the roof. Apparently these creature things can't climb, but like titans, they can smell and follow us. We took care of the injured and just watched them claw at the building for several hours. And then Erwin went over the escae plan, and well everything was fine until I got separated when this thing showed up..."

A memory suddenly flashed through Levi's mind and he gasped. "That thing! It was a-"

Eren groaned, shifting his weight. It was dark and quiet. He couldn't remember what had happened._ Why am I so tired?_ He could feel every nerve in his body was heavy and weighing him down. His eyelids refused to move and his brain refused to process anything. He couldn't tell if he was sitting or lying, what was up or what was down. There was no pressure on any part of his body like he was floating. It felt like he was floating. But it wasn't like floating through the sky with the breeze in his face, powered by the manuever gear. It was aimless, bodyless, floating.

He suddenly felt sick.

Suddenly convulsing and gagging, he snapped through the darkness that bound him and instinctively crumpled forward to dry heave. His hands slammed onto the cold ground below and he could feel the sharp ends of rocks digging into his knees as his body heaved again. _How long Has it been since I have eaten?_ He gagged again but this time his eyes fluttered open when he was done. His hands doubled in his vision and the grey stone looked cracked and eerie. The floors that he normally cleaned were destroyed.

A gentle hand was placed on his back and he suddenly became conscious of the fact that he wasn't alone. His breath was ragged and loud and he could sense that there were other people with him. He shakily glanced up with blurry vision to see a worried girl staring at him with wide, dark eyes. _Who is she?_ She had fluffy shoulder length black hair and a red scarf wrapped securely around her neck. She seemed overly concerned, so Eren forced his mouth open, "Are- are you- you okay?"

Her eyes widened like he had sprouted another eye and she harshly responded with, "Don't worry about me, are you okay?"

_Why wouldn't I be okay?_ Her face doubled and the retching feeling slowly crept back into Eren's stomach. He hung his head, suddenly tired from holding it up, and shallow choking sounds emerged from the back of his throat. He could feel a chill run up his arms and down his back. A hand was placed between his shoulder blades and slow, gentle circles were rubbed.

"Eren?"

_Who's Eren?_ Eren gagged again, his chest sinking towards the stone floor. He could feel his arms giving out and he didn't really want to fall._ Good thing I didn't actually puke. I don't want to lay in that..._

His arms gave out and he slumped to the floor. His cheek was pushed against the cool stone and his breath was coming out more ragged than before. A sharp pain shot through his arm but he couldn't open his eyes again to look.

"Mikasa, roll him on his side in case he throws up." Another woman said. She sounded more high pitched than the girl who had touched him. _I wonder who they are?_

"Eren!" That was the girl with the black eyes.

"Who-" Eren coughed as a hand was placed on his shoulder. He was rolled on to his side. "Who's-" He gasped and rolled to his back as the pain in his arm increased. He cried out, arching from the stones in pain. A hand found it's was to his face and stomach, and he calmed at the sensation. It almost felt familiar. A hand ran down to his neck, rubbing the skin. The girl murmured quiet words. Another set of hands found themselves on his arm, and they tugged at the bloody material where the bite was located. The fabric was removed and a small gasp followed immediately.

"Who's-"

"Shh, it's okay, Eren." The girl said quietly.

The other woman spoke incomprehensible words, and there was a grunt from her male partner a few feet away._ How did I know he was there?_ Eren groaned, forcing his jade eyes to open slowly. "Who's- Who is- Eren?" He met eyes with the dark eyed girl and her mouth slightly opened. She stared at him hard and long like he had just asked to eat her for lunch. Not that he could blame himself, her skin was practically flawless and a perfect shade of light cream. It looked delicious and sweet with just a hint of salty-

Something far in the back of his brain told him that those thoughts were not right.

"Eren?"

He focused back on the girl, ignoring the idea that he cold chew through her skin.

"You are Eren. Eren, do you remember me?" Her voice was low and careful, like a fearful animal. He couldn't help but lick his bottom lip. It was chapped and cut, the taste of his metallic blood delicious against his palate.

"No," He said simply. The word felt foreign on his tongue and he couldn't explain the numbness he felt. His throat didn't seem to be doing it's job and his brain wasn't coordinating his tongue properly. _Wait? What is happening? Where am I? Who are the people? Who am I? Am I someone? Why do I have to be one of them? Why can't I just eat..._

His eyes rolled closed and the girl said his name again, but to no avail. He didn't respond. She simply place a hand on his head, running her fingers through his hair as the motion soothed him into a dreamless sleep.

It had been several hours since Eren had fallen asleep, and Levi couldn't tolerate sitting anymore.

Hanji had looked him over, and had concluded that he had received a number of broken bones, a dislocated shoulder, and probably hairline fractures. She told him to remain still while she figured out a plan for escape. So far the zombies seemed to prefer higher ground. None of them had ventured down or had dared to jump. Or perhaps they just hadn't thought of it yet. But regardless, sitting and watching the brat shakily breathe away the remainder of his life was not working for him.

So against all the logic in his brain, he stood up.

The pain was intense enough to knock the breath from his lungs immediately. He hadn't believed everything Hanji had said, but upon standing up, he _knew._ He should probably sit back down. Instead, he forcefully walked over to a sleeping Mikasa. She had her head resting against the wall and Eren was pulled into her lap with her hand in his hair. He was still sleeping but his features were starting to look ragged and dead.

He probably didn't have much longer.

They had wasted almost twenty-four hours. They had several facts straight, and Mikasa was no in on said facts, though she wasn't fond of most of them. And it took his ten minutes to even spark some form of belief in her brain when he had described what he had _seen._ He shuddered at the thought.

Slowly he forced himself to sit down beside her. He felt more comfortable being close anyway with those creepy crawlers walking around along with the titans. Just as he rested his head back and closed his eyes against the afternoon sky, he sighed.

Hanji dropped from above, hopefully like an angel with a miracle, and walked up to him. He pried his eyes back open just to see her drop down on her heels and stare at eye level with him. She was slightly frowning, which was never a good thing. "You shouldn't be moving."

"What did you find out?" He asked impatiently. The pain was causing things to swell, and he knew he needed attention before something became infected.

Hanji sighed, closing her eyes. "They are everywhere, and the- umm,... we need to move."

"What." The last time those words had left someones mouth, all hell had broke out.

"We need to move. Now. I have a plan to escape, but with finding said escape plan, I have caused a reason for us to use. Immediately. Aha," She chuckled like she hadn't drawn a horde of zombies to their hide out. "We should try and go now. The roof is still partially intact, and we will probably be safer up there."

"How are we going to move?" Levi's tone rose slightly. Mikasa stirred beside him. "I can hardly walk and Eren is completely out of it. Unless he cut off his fingers and remove his teeth, none of us are safe to carry him."

Hanji sighed. She stood up and approached the boy. Mikasa sat up from the wall, her hands clutching protectively around the topic of their discussion. "Eren is still in here." She said quietly.

Hanji nodded in agreement. "We still need to move." She knelt down beside him and gently placed her hand on his head. "Mikasa, I will take Eren, and you can take Levi. Levi is lighter than this kid anyway. And not as deadly."

Levi scoffed at the false information. Mikasa gently helped Eren into Hanji's arms, and then stood up. She faced the man she didn't really like with a hard glare. "Don't get all whinny with me. This will hurt." She said against her better judgement and knelt down, reaching for Levi.

Eren suddenly screeched. All eyes snapped to him as he jerked away from Hanji with wide eyes and an open mouth. He gasped violently as he stumbled away from her and then stared upwards and at the darkening sky. "It's here!" He yelled with fear plastered across his face.

Hanji took a step back. Eren growled, his face contorting into determination and aggression as he readied himself like he was about to be attacked. Mikasa glanced up, just as a furry face glanced into the hole the resided in.

It was a titan. A very hairy titan.

Levi groaned without looking. "Please tell me that ape shit isn't staring down at us..."

Hanji made eye contact with Mikasa who nodded and readied herself. They wold defend their tiny group if it was the last thing they would do.

The ape titan smiled wickedly, the darkness forcing his features into a terrifying stare as he blocked out all forms of light. "Hello, down there." He moved a hand, ready to reach down and grab.

Hanji was a second away from signalling an attack when Eren screamed. He startled both of them and even the titan looming above stopped his acsent.

"I!" Eren snarled, his body heaving as he panted harshly, "I WILL KILL YOU." He roared and jumped, his body sparking and evolving as he transformed. Levi and Mikasa were blown away as Eren took up the little space they had. Hanji quickly removed herself from his foot space and found herself standing atop the debris a little too close for comfort. She gasped, looking around for Levi and Mikasa, but then froze.

Eren's titan.

It was a sickly shade of grey. The gum line was receding to length the exposure of his teeth and his normally vibrant eyes were dull and dead._ So the bite has effected his titan form too?_ Eren suddenly roared, snapping his face upwards.

Of course Eren would start a fight during an apocalypse.

* * *

**F.R~ Well. It wasn't a dragon. **

**If you get bored and want to see how I waste away my life when I'm not writing, visit me on my tumblr! At:**

**Because in all honesty, I am getting bored of my written work, and I am starting to draw more. I like to upload random things to cure my own boredom and hopefully someone else. I will try and update this story at least once a week until I finish though!**

**Thanks for reading! :D ^^**


	8. Hybrid Completion

**A/N: Well... life has gotten chaotic.**

**Warnings and disclaimers****: Rated M for Everything. Shingeki no Kyojin still belongs toHajime Isayama!**

* * *

Eren had never been one to think before he acted and he was well aware that it would come back to bite him one day. However, he didn't actually realize that the day would come..

He wasn't sure if he realized he had made a mistake when his fist collided with the ape's face, or when the opponent had retaliated and knocked him out cold. Regardless of when he determined his failure, he had made the mistake and the mistake had sent him to oblivion.

He groaned, shifting and curling into himself on his side as cold wind violently blew into his face. His eyes forcefully opened and he gasped from his lungs protest and demand to be filled. Soft grass tickled his nose and he breathed in their freshness. The individual blades gleamed from the moonlight and they danced beneath the breeze in his vision. He groaned again as his tired eyes shifted towards the dark sky. Stars littered the space and the beauty was striking. His bones redirected his attention to their need as they creaked and painfully cracked as he shifted again. With his face to the ground he rolled to his stomach, moving his hands to either side of his body. They were numb from the cold and he couldn't help but sigh as he shivered.

_What happened? I feel really tired..._

The wind whistled again and he braced his hands in the cold dirt. He forcefully pulled up his aching knees, a sickening crack sounding as he raised his hips, and he pushed himself back into a hunched position. The bangs hanging from his limp head were dirty with blood, sweat and grass. His hands were stained as well. His shoulders were protesting so he remained still, willing them to relax and fix their problem on their own. He surveyed his thighs and grimaced at the sight of his pants. They were torn and stained with multiple colours and a large and violent rip suggested that he had almost lost a leg. Thankfully, any wounds he had had were already healed. He forced his head to roll back, his neck cracking and aligning itself, as he sat back on heels and stared up at the beautiful night sky.

It was then that he remembered everything; being bit, feeling dizzy and weird. Waking up and seeing Mikasa and Hanji and Levi, but not knowing who they were. The castle structure was gone, it had collapsed? It had been broken in? By what? He didn't know, he just knew that he was in unexpressed pain and he couldn't really remember anything. He had been in a daze when he had woken p and it had been scary. He couldn't express his fear though because he didn't know why he was scared. Something in the depths of his mind just told him he didn't want to die. He didn't want to die. But then the ape had appeared.

And the burning hatred that he had always felt in his heart had resurfaced. He had suddenly snapped, had a sudden desire to kill, which led to him inevitably transforming. As he transformed, he remembered feeling free and powerful, the cloudiness that had erased his mind was gone and he could remember. Below his feet, Mikasa was watching him. Hanji was helping Levi. Levi had been hurt so he needed his help the most.

Eren needed to fight to survive.

_So where is Mikasa and them now? And thank the gods that the ape creep didn't eat me._

His face contorted with worry and fear. He needed to find every one! Where had they gone?_ Where am I even?_He suddenly glanced around to take in his surroundings._ How far away did I end up? And where could they be- Levi was injured! Hanji said he had broken something! What if I hurt Mikas-_

His breath caught in his throat and he froze. His eyes widened and his body involuntarily tensed. His hands moved to grip the swords that were not present. Through the darkness of the night, he could see that he was in a little field clearing amongst a forest. But circling him and standing amongst those moon illuminated trees were titans.

They ranged in size and weight, more male than female, but huge, man eating titans none the less. They stood ominously beside the trees, some braver than others and venturing past the field line while most remained hidden behind others and the shadows. The moon light illuminated their faces as they slowly shuffled around. _That ape must have something to do with this! I thought they were dormant in the night? _They were all staring at them, there had to be at least fifty in his field of view. But none of them moved to approach him.

They all just stared.

His caught breath slowly released. He sharply but silently took it back in as a sweat broke out over his forehead. His bright eyes scanned the tree branches in search for his comrades. _Maybe they are dormant? I can't just assume, I have to be careful. Levi wasn't in gear last I saw... and mine is gone as well. Hanji and Mikasa are the only two with it... think Eren think! Fifty titans! No gear! What can I do!?_

He slowly moved his head to the right. The clearing was small, maybe twenty feet across and the trees surrounded him completely; as well as the titans. He shifted his head back to the left, noticing that there were still more titans eager to stand eerily and stare at him._ How many? Seventy? Eighty? One-hundred? Should I transform? Wait, can I transform?_ His heart rate spiked as he slowly leaned back further, preparing himself to move. He had to move. He had to take his chance before they all ran and attacked at the same time. _Wait? Am I hallucinating? I got bit by a zombie, won't I become one? Am I already one?_ His eyes stole a quick glance down towards his shoulder. It was still wrapped, but it didn't hurt. His eyes flicked to the trees again, the titans hadn't moved and were still staring. He also noticed smaller beings standing amongst them. His jaw tensed, his molars crushing against each other once again.

He slowly reached a hand to his shoulder and pulled at the white fabric. It easily tore from his arm, exposing bloodied but perfectly healed skin.

_What does this mean?_ The wound had refused to heal before!

He snapped his head up as his blood pressure forced his stomach to drop. He almost gagged, but held the sensation back. It had been a while since he had eaten, so there was nothing to vomit anyway. How was he going to face a horde of titans? He was small enough to hide from them if he could get away, but the zombies roaming on the ground would cause him equal trouble.

He was incredibly doomed. His situation was completely futile.

_Wait, what if I climb a tree? _Good thinking Eren, how will you get to that tree where all the enemies are standing?_ Dammit, I need to move! If I can reach a tree I need to climb!_ Eren slowly shifted to his feet and he pushed himself up from the gentle grass.

It was now or never.

Eyebrows drawn and mouth pulled into a firm line, he fixed his eyes into a deathly stare as he sized up his new prey. How would he fight? He wasn't sure. How would he escape? He had no idea if he even could.

_If you don't fight, you can't win!_

He roared into the silence and then spun on his heels. He redirected himself towards the least populated group of titans and ran. He ran straight towards them, watching and waiting to calculate how he would maneuver around-

Are they fleeing?

A large, seventeen meter titan shrieked at the approaching boy. He whirled around with his long blonde hair fanning out behind him and then ran away into the woods. The nearby titans shrieked in response, a deafening sound of titans screaming and roaring almost knocked Eren to the ground. He slowed his pace as the titans all began to make loud noises of terror and aggression and their stomping footsteps shook the earth below him.

A few human sized zombies that had strayed away from the main group reacted similarly, their once human vocal cords producing the shrillest screech that could have been heard from hell. They ran as well, _they can run,_ and they hurried away from him and into the woods.

Eren bee lined for the nearest tree amidst the commotion. The titans had started running in sporadic directions, most of the larger group had ran into the field like a spooked heard of didn't want to get stepped on. The blurred by him and his instinctively jumped, growling and yelling at them when they drew to close. He evaded the feet of one while another seemed to run for him. Panicking, he attempted to move out of the way, darting between the feet of another.

But the titans had no interest in him.

They were all running in the same direction, screeching and yelling as they slammed against the earth. There was a good hundred of them as crashed through the trees in the woods. But they seemed to be running _away._

Despite that thought, Eren had himself worked up almost to the maximum.

He threw his back against the tree, his breath coming out from his lungs in pants. He was inhaling sharply, forcing numbness and panic to crawl up the back of his neck and into his brain. Wide, blood shot eyes watched as the commotion began to settle, the titans gone, and their noise and slamming feet were growing silent. He was still on edge, his body jerking and twitching with any far off noise. His fingers dug into the tree behind him, cutting the pads and tearing the bark from the heart forcefully pounded against his chest as he tried to understand what had just happened.

He glanced around as the darkness became silent again, the moon splaying gently against his face. He was shaking so hard that it brought him to his knees and he choked on a sob as he breathlessly coughed. He brought his quivering hands to his tearing eyes as he noisily gasped for air.

_What the hell was that?_

He had grown accustomed to humans being afraid of him. It had taken some emotional work, but it didn't bother him as much. But titans? Titans that are scared of titan shifters?

That was ridiculous.

A sob escaped his mouth and he choked again, coughing into the grass as it gently swayed beneath him in a comforting manner. _What kind of monster have I become that titans and zombies are scared of me?_ He shuddered as the cold began to settle into his body through his thin, tattered shirt. The temperature was violently dropping as the night went on, and the cold shivers only made his shaking body worse. He was practically convulsing, the silence putting him further on edge.

_I am alone right now. I am completely alone. Where did Mikasa go? Where is Levi? Is he okay? Where is everyone else? Hanji needs to come get me... unless... did I hurt them? Oh my god, did I hurt any of them?_

His forehead hit the ground in front of him and tears dripped onto the grass. _What am I supposed to do? _He curled his body up against the tree, vivid images playing through the scenarios of his impending doom. How he would die. Being the last person in the world, feared by the monsters that had destroyed it.

He was doomed to be alone.

A heart breaking cry escaped his lips and he shuddered as he pulled his knees close to his chest.

"_Someone needs to save me."_

* * *

_**~F.R: I apologize for taking so long to update. Things are kind of crazy. And I realize that this story is kind of all over the place- I am working to fix that.**_

_**I apologize! (^_^;)**_


End file.
